Weekend Work (Daniel)

Guest

Naomi was ecstatic, the voices in her head that constantly weighed down on her like an anchor on her shoulders becoming softer and mellow, because there was less for her to worry about, less for her to think so intensely about. It was like being a feather and not a rock, it's not a very cutesy analogy but there's a point. When she felt like a feather she was light and easily able to absorb the sweet sun that hit her and float around life without a care. When depression and anxiety hit her too hard she felt like a rock, stuck to one place, unable to leave, unable to move.

Stuck.

Now she was floating and it made her smile and feel safe.

"Yeah!" Theo shouted running over to the kitchen again, and Naomi rolled her eyes as she realized he truly didn't care whatever their crotechty neighbors had to say. "Ready Uncle Danny?" He asked as he went on his tip toes to look over the counter and if Naomi craned her neck even a little bit she would have seen the plates of food he was balancing, and shook her head. He was going to want to share breakfast with her, it was a habit that he had yet to break of yet.

"And I trust that you will make sure he isn't." She whispered in reply, just glad that it was feeling less and less like it was her sole responsibility to ensure that her baby didn't turn out to be something... not good. The idea of Theo being anything less than he really was hurt her, and her brows knitted together. This sort of worry that mothers had for their children was normal, the kind she had felt suffocating, and it would probably never leave, but she could control it so that she didn't become some sort of hermit.

If it weren't for Daniel, she'd probably be locked in St. Mungo for worrying herself to death for Theo.

He had always been there. Throughout the pregnancy, which she had Henry for, but it always felt relieving to have another hand. Throughout the divorce, someone to console her as she sobbed and screamed and let everything go. Throughout the birthdays with Theo, the first steps, the first injury (wasn't that a terrific day ugh), the first tantrum (that was an adventure all in its own). The only things Daniel wasn't there for were the quiet mornings where Theo would crawl into her bed and curl into her or the after-birthday talks where he'd shyly ask why daddy wasn't there. Or where was daddy. Who was daddy? Those were things she didn't feel quite comfortable sharing with Daniel just yet, but he probably could guess those were questions Theo asked.

"He just feels like this permanent 'what-if' in my life," she murmured squeezing his hands as tight as she could and closing her eyes wishing away all memories of him. Though some were good and some were fun, the recent feeling was just hurtful. Feeling like more affection would help, she released his hands and slid her arms around his waist and closed her eyes, letting his soft aroma overwhelm her and soothe her.

"I know for a fact that you'll always be here for us, and I don't think there's anyone I need more than you after Theo, of course," she murmured against his chest, slowing her breathing.

His words were a tender balm to her hurt, consoling her. The depression that got to her easing off just a bit.

Guest

Daniel paused to take the plate from Theo, looking at the wonderful creation his nephew had come up with and grinned at the boy. "You have done an amazing job, Theo! Well done!" Daniel told the boy, tucking in almost straight away. A soft 'mmm' left Daniel's lips a moment later (his mother would have fainted if she'd heard) to show his appreciation of the cooking. "Definitely well done!"

Daniel gave a small nod in response to helping make sure Theo was a good kid, though really, Naomi had done that all by herself. She didn't need him, not to raise Theo, she just needed financial support, which he was more than happy to give.

"He just feels like this permanent 'what-if' in my life,"

"I know." Daniel whispered softly. The thought of Henry always made Daniel angry. Angry that a man could treat his wife so badly. Angry that he could walk out on his son without a second thought. Angry that no money came to help Naomi from Henry. Honestly, if Henry dared to show his face anywhere near Naomi or Theo again, Daniel couldn't promise not to...

But he couldn't, because no matter what happened, Henry would always be Theo's father, and the man Naomi had loved, did love... Daniel didn't know her feelings for the man, if he was honest, and he'd never asked.

If Henry came back...

Daniel pushed the thought away, because it had been too long since they'd seen the man for him to just reappear. Instead, Daniel simply held his best friend close as she hugged him, dipping his head down to kiss the top of her head in the friendly, reassuring manner that he always had.

"I'll be here, always. Unless you send me away." Daniel assured the witch, giving her a firm squeeze. "Now, how about you go and finish packing up the kitchen with Theo, yeah? I'll finish up in here." Daniel suggested, knowing that being around Henry's things probably wasn't helping her.

There was a crack, a moment later, and four house elves appeared. "Mr Jameson, sir, we're here to help now, sir." Tippy told him, smiling up at his master and then to Naomi. "And, Miss Naomi! It's an honour, Miss!" The elf continued.

"Just tell them what to do, and they'll do it." Daniel told Naomi, turning back to his packing. "Or, just give them the boxes to take home."

Guest

The way Naomi was raising was Theo was to teach him the right from the wrong and not any morals or hard ethics to take. She never told him you have to act this way because it's expected or this way because you're half-Asian; rather she taught him that you do this because it's polite, you don't do this because it's obnoxious and rude. It was better that way so that he didn't get too many ideals from his mother and could formulate his own opinion. She smothered him correctly in learning and in manners, but let him grow on opinions that were more open-ended such as why Charlie was a mean boy to him, another daycare child.

"Really?" Theo asked ecstatic and bouncing as he forced his mother to sit, she laughed and went along with it, letting him clamber into his lap and hand him a fork, he took two bites before squirming in his lap to try and get his mom to eat too. Naomi went along smiling and nodding in agreement. "Is Uncle Danny happy then? Mommy is happy, mommy is smiling, did you know that's how people are happy?" Theo asked bouncing a bit making Naomi cringe a bit, he wasn't an overly big boy but he really was growing. She smiled softly though and ran a hand through his hair, her stomach was counting on the lunch Daniel was treating them too because Theo wasn't really sharing much. It was alright though, she could manage.

After breakfast Theo gave a yawn, while Naomi picked him up.

"Theo you want a little nap before you start packing your bathroom supplies?" Naomi asked as she lifted her son from the table. He nodded blearily, curling into her. She laid him onto the couch, smiling at how his form was so peaceful, so innocent. He wasn't one to stay asleep for very long, which made Naomi sure he'd be awake just in the middle of her and Daniel tackling the office.

At Daniel's acquiesence, she nodded, grimacing against his chest because thinking about Henry made her feel stupid for falling in love with someone that would end up hurting her so bad. She hated pushing all these feelings onto Daniel, but at the same time she loved it. It felt like letting all the bad stuff out and breathing something newer, something better, something sweeter.

"I can do that," she replied quietly, forcing a smile on her face as she headed around before a pop stopped her midstep. She smiled at the adorable house elves standing before her, happy and ready to help to which she nodded.

"Thank you," she paused, "I don't believe you told me your name, and I think my son, Theo who you'll also be helping, would like very much to know your names." She said with a smile before nodding to the living room where Theo was awake, kneeling and sniffing, a disgruntled look on his face.

"Mommy what is it?" He asked, wide eyes.

"Not what, who," she corrected, her mood feeling much brighter, much better. "These are the house elves that'll help us pack, Tippy and Gluppy," she introduced them, who bowed and smiled.

They greeted Theo with honorifics and for the two hours that they packed up all their knick-knacks and all their things, they answered his excited questions all with ease in between them popping off with the bigger boxes and 'shrunken' items. Naomi placed a kiss to Theo's forehead as she lifted him to balance him on her hip. He had a bag of shrunken items in his hands and was staring at every small thing, like his red tricycle they'd fetched from the basement with amazement in his eyes. His pure, sweet face.

"Daniel are you ready?" She called out into the house, it felt barren, but good, she had a box of objects she planned on either donating or selling. Probably the latter given her bank account's status. When he appeared in her sight of vision she smiled brightly, content and accomplished.

Guest

Theo's excitement was enough to put a smile on Daniel's lips, watching him bounce around excitedly. It would be good for Theo to get away from here, have more space, a garden too. So much more for him to explore. "Uncle Danny is very happy." Daniel told Theo to make sure the boy knew for certain. The comment on Naomi being happy was one that made Daniel feel hopeful, because he wanted that, more than he'd wanted anything in a very, very long time.

He didn't say that though, not in front of Theo, because he didn't want any confusion for him.

The time flew after that, with Theo settled for a short while he and Naomi had managed to do most of the study. And with the house elves arrival, it made everything quicker, even if Theo was more interested in the little creatures than the packing. It was a few short hours before they had emptied every room, Daniel instructing the house elves where to put things. Most of the stuff was to be put in to storage, what with there not being any need for the kitchen equipment or the furniture for the most part in his house. But everything left, very carefully, to his house.

As promised, Daniel took Naomi and Theo to the local Burger King, watching Theo's excitement as he got a toy with his meal, and making sure Naomi had plenty to eat because she hadn't really eaten earlier. Theo had become impatient almost as soon as he was done with his own meal, and it was only a short while later that they'd arrived at Daniel's home.

Theo's reaction had been priceless.

The boy's eyes had gone bigger than Daniel could ever imagine and he'd turned to both of them with a look that asked "is this our new home?" Daniel had simply nodded to the boy, before insisting he could beat Theo to the front door. The two had ran off before Naomi, Daniel allowing the boy to win the challenge before they went in.

Theo had been good, listening to Daniel as he explained where everything was, and telling him that he should only come in to a room if the door was open. If a door was closed, Theo had to knock and wait for someone to answer. It wasn't a "you mustn't go here" it was simply a "please don't run in to rooms unnannounced". By the end, Daniel had left Theo in his new room to unpack his toys and he'd gone back to find Naomi, showing her to her room that was situated beside Theo's.

And on the other side of her room was his own. Making sure she knew where he was at all times.

From there, Daniel had told her he would give her some time to settle in. Leaving her to unpack and get accustomed, because this was going to be a big change, for all of them. And change needed time.

» Weekend Work (Open)
» Hogsmeade weekend (Janet)
» Good For A Weekend (Victoria)
» I can make the bad guys good for a weekend (Quinn)
» Getting down to work (Open)